Teaball or like article



Aug 4, 1942 c. H. HlRscHHoRN, 2,291,625 A TEABALL 0R LIKE ARTICLE Filed June 2, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENToR C//Aff'lf H. #w50/HORN ATTORNEY j Patented Aug. 4, 1942 TEABALL OR LIKE ARTCLE Charles H. Hirschhorn, New York, N. Y., assgnor to Millie Patent Holding Co., Inc., a, corporation of New York Application June 2, 1938, Serial No. 211,377

(Cl. 20G-0.5)

2 Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of packages including containers or bags. Although in practising the invention, containers or bags may be made for packaging various materials, the embodiments of the invention as herein described is directed to the packaging of tea, coffee or similar essence containing products. Such products are made or sold as complete articles for use in brewing beverages, as for example in making so-called tea-balls having a casing or bag portion formed of sheet material, such as lter.

paper, or perforated vegetable parchment paper, vegetable ber sheets and cellophane mong the objects of the invention is to generally improve packages of the character described which shall have joint seams formed by cutting portions of the material adjacent the periphery and interlocking such cut portions to retain the seam against separation without the use of adhesives, which shall comprise of few and simple parts assembled to form a cheap article of manufacture, yet of new, neat and attractive appearance and particularly adapted for quantity production, and which shall be efficient and practical to a high degree in use.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out. The invention accordingly consists of features of constructions, combinations of elements, arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the 30 constructions hereinafter described and of which the scope of the application will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown various possible illustrative embodiments 35 of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a sheet of material which may be either unperforated or perforated in cut blank form for use in practising the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of a package constructed to embody the invention in the form of a rectangular shaped tea-ball or like article;

Fig. 2a is a fragmentary view of the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig, 2 having a modified form of top closure comprising a double fold of the casing material which serves to anchor the string handle without the use of the metallic staple shown in Fig. 2;

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views taken 50 on lines 3 3, A and 5 5 respectively, in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5a is a fragmentary plan view of the cut interlocked fastenings of the joint seam shown in Fig. 5;

0 ner.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing a modified construction of the invention with the free edge portions infolded;

Fig. 6a is a fragmentary view of the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 6 having a modified form of top closure comprising a double fold of the casing material which provides means for anchoring the string handle without the use of the metallic staple shown in Figs. 2 and 6;

Figs. 7 and 8 are cross-sectional views taken on lines 'I 'l and 8 8 respectively, in Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a View similar to Figs. 2 and 6 showing another modified form of the invention with the free edge portions of the package double folded as well as fastened by cut interlocked portions thereof;

Figs. 10 and 11 are cross-sectional views taken on lines N lll and Il ll respectively, in Fig. 9;

Fig. 12 is a front elevational view of still another modification of the embodiment of the invention shown in the construction of a circular type of tea-ball;

Figs. 13 and 14 are cross-sectional views taken on lines l 3 i3 and M M respectively, in Fig. 12;

Fig. 15 is a diagrammatic View showing the dovetail cut perimeter on the blanks for forming the casing for the circular tea-ball shown in Fig. 12;

Fig. 16 is a View similar to Fig, 12 showing a modiiied form of the circular shaped tea-ball with the free edges folded back;and

Fig. 17 is a cross-sectional view taken on line H Il in Fig. 16.

Referring in detail to the drawings an embodiment of the invention is shown as applied to the construction of tea-ball 2Q. Said tea-ball 2l) may comprise a bag or casing 2! formed of a suitable sheet material precut to provide a strip or blank Zia of required size in the well understood man- The sheet material when used merely as a .protective cover in embodiments of the invention for small packages of any product other than herein shown, may be made of any of the various suitable commercially obtainable forms of paper, fiber, glassine or cellophane In practising the invention for making tea-balls, however, where the product contains an essence to be extracted by brewing or the like, there may be used as sheet material 2id, suitable filter paper of a character that will withstand immersion in boiling water without damage or distintegration, or said sheet material 2Ia may be made of vegetable parchment paper, vegetable sheet liber or Cellophane finely perforated (not shown) in the well understood manner to permit passing therethrough liquids forming the brew With the contents of the package.

In making the tea-ball the strip of sheet.

material 2|a is folded over on itself across the mid-portion thereof to provide two layers connected by a fold at 2lb which serves as a bottom closure for the casing 2| -as shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3. The free edge portions extending around the casing 2| .from one end of the fold 2lb to the other may be secured together after inserting tea T or the like product by providing suitably cut interlocking portions thereof, as, for example, closely spaced tongue and slot securing means 22. These securing means 22 made of the material of the casing provide a joint seam extending around three sides of the casing 2|. Said joint seam is tight enough to retain the contents Vwithout requiring any adhesive and will be found sufciently strong to retain the joint seam parts against separation in handling and use.

A small staple 23 or other anchoring means may be applied to anchor the end of a string handle 24 carrying a tag 25 adjacent the middle of the top edge portion 2|c of the tea-ball. The improved tea-ball 2) when made as described above and shown in Figs. 1-4 inclusive, forms a flat-shaped structure and may be used for brewing tea in the usual manner by immersing the teaball 29 preferably in boiling hot water contained in a suitable receptacle such as a cup (not shown) in the well understood manner. The essence of the tea T in the casing 2| will pass through the sheet material when made of filter paper, or perforated sheet vegeta-ble parchment paper or Cellophane.

In Fig. 2a the embodiment of the invention is shown like that described above and shown in Fig. 2 except that the top edge portion |2|c thereof is provided with a double cross fold and the end of the string handle 24 is anchored within said fold without the use of a staple, as is clearly shown in said Fig. 2a and at the top of the `package structure shown in Fig. 10. Two or more slot and tongue securing means 22 may be provided on the double fold l2 Ic to retain the top joint seam closed.

Another modification of the invention is shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 in the construction of tea-ball 35. This construction is similar to that shown in Figs. 2 to 5 inclusive, except that the free edges of the tea-ball 30 are provided with an inturned flap extension 3|. These nap extensions 3| serve to strengthen the seam joint by providing double thickness of material along the edge portion and further forms smooth folded edges which extend completely about the joint seam of said tea-ball 3Q.

In Fig. 6a the embodiment of the invention is shown like that described above and shown. in Fig. 6 except that the top edge portion |3|c thereof is provided with a double cross fold and the end of the string handle 24 is anchored within said `fold without the use of a staple, as is clearly shown in said Fig. 6a and at the top of the package structure sho-wn in Figs. 2a and 10. Two or more slot and tongue securing means 22 may `be provided on the double fold |3|c to retain the joint seam closed or sealed.

A further modification of the invention is shown in Figs. 9, l0 and 1l in the form of tea-ball 4E). Here the sheet material is made sufficiently large to permit the double folding and creasing of the edge portions |4|c forming the entire length of the joint seam. The double folded portions are secured in place by means of spaced tongue and slot securing means 22. Since there is provided a double fold the length of each joint seam, the spacing of the securing means 22 may be increased so that the number necessary to hold the joint seam tight can be greatly reduced as seen by comparing Fig. 9 with Figs. 2 and 6.

From Figs. 9 and 10 it is clear that the end of the string handle may be firmly anchored within the double fold of the top closure seam joint |4|c without requiring the use of a staple.

Still another modified form of the invention is shown in Figs. 12 to 15 inclusive, in the construction of tea-ball 50. Since said tea-ball 50 is circular in shape instead of being rectangular, its casing preferably is formed of two identical elements or discs 5|. These discs 5| may each have their peripheral portions dove-tail cut, as at 52, so that when the tea-ball 50 is assembled the casing 5|, with a measured quantity of tea T inserted therebetween, said dove-tail portions 52 are interlocked to form a continuous joint seam. The end of the string handle 24 may be anchored between the dove-tail connections as is clearly shown in Fig. 12. The discs 5| forming the casing may be made of vegetable sheet fiber, finely perforated, (not shown) which provides a relatively rigid structure and is particularly suitable for use when the joint seam securing means is at the periphery as shown.

In Figs. 16 and 17 a modified form 60 of a circular type tea-ball is shown. This construction is identical with that described above and as shown in Figs, 12 to 15 inclusive, except that the extending portions of the dove-tail cut periphery are folded back as at 62a. This back folding masr be provlided by giving the ber sheet material a permanent set to serve, when assembled, as a brace for the casing structure, as seen from Fig. 17.

All the forms of tea-balls embodying the invention above described and shown in the drawings are utilized in a like manner already set forth above and provide a simple flat-shaped structure which has joint seams formed from interlocked cut portions of the material forming the casing without the use of `adhesives and in all the forms except those shown in Figs. 2 and 6, the string handles are anchored in the folds of the casing material without the use of staplesl. These latter constructions, therefore, would eliminate one operation in the manufacture of tea-balls embodying the invention, namely, that of stapling. All tea-balls herein described are of simple construction and readily lend themselves to manufacturing processes using automatic machines. Each package, including all the modifications, forms a harmoniously shaped article which is neat and attractive in appearance. The tongue and slot fastening means 22 and the dove-tail cut portions 52 besides forming the joint seams, serve as a decorative border trimming for the tea-balls.

While the various embodiments of the invention herein described and shown in the drawings are directed to packages for brewing, such as tea-balls, it is to be understood that identical packages may be utilized for blueing or otherwise tinting clothes in laundry work and also in household and factory dyeing operations.

Packages for dispensing various dry products, such as powders of various sorts, may be manufactured in accordance with the invention using sheet materials that are not to be immersed in liquidf', but on the contrary may be moistureproof. Such packages may be made with or without string handles as desired.

It is thus therefore seen that there are provided improved articles in which the objects of the invention are achieved and which are well adapted to meet all conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments may be made in the invention for use for different purposes and as various changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, it is to be understood that all the above matters here set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings, are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Thus having described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. An infusion package construction of the character described comprising a flat-shaped casing formed of two layers of pliant lter sheet material positioned in edge matching relation,

an essence containing product enclosed within the casing between the layers, said casing having the major portion of the peripheral length of the edge border of said layers provided with spaced cut portions, said portions of the layers being flexed from a normal plane thereof to lockingly unite with other portions of said layers to form an adhesiveless joint seam for positively securing the edge borders against separation and for retaining said product within the casing, said sheet material and joint seam being so constructed and arranged to withstand immersion in water without disintegration and disruption for making a brew.

2. The infusion package constructed as defined in claim 1 having a string handle with an end thereof anchored solely by incorporation between said interlockment of the layer portions of the joint seam.

CHARLES H. HIRSCHHORN. 

